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Witold Pilecki (13 May 190125 May 1948; ; codenames ''Roman Jezierski, Tomasz Serafiński, Druh, Witold'') was a Polish soldier, a rittmeister of the Polish Cavalry during the Second Polish Republic, the founder of the Secret Polish Army (''Tajna Armia Polska'') resistance group in German-occupied Poland in November 1939, and a member of the underground Home Army (''Armia Krajowa''), which was formed in February 1942. He was the author of Witold's Report, the first comprehensive Allied intelligence report on Auschwitz concentration camp and the Holocaust. During World War II, he volunteered for a Polish resistance operation to get imprisoned in the Auschwitz death camp in order to gather intelligence and escape. While in the camp, Pilecki organized a resistance movement and as early as 1941, informed the Western Allies of Nazi Germany's Auschwitz atrocities. He escaped from the camp in 1943 after nearly two and a half years of imprisonment. Pilecki took part in the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944.〔 He remained loyal to the London-based Polish government-in-exile after the Soviet-backed communist takeover of Poland and was arrested in 1947 by the Stalinist secret police (Urząd Bezpieczeństwa) on charges of working for "foreign imperialism", thought to be a euphemism for MI6. He was executed after a show trial in 1948. Until 1989, information about his exploits and fate was suppressed by the Polish communist regime.〔 As a result of his deeds, he is considered as "one of the greatest wartime heroes".〔Snyder, Timothy (22 June 2012) (Were We All People? ), ''The New York Times''.〕〔(Remembering Unsung Heroes Of The Holocaust ), ''The Jewish Week''. Published on 1 February 2013.〕〔(Auschwitz inmate Pilecki – 'diamond among heroes' ), Thenews.pl (Polish Radio English Section). Published on 28 January 2013.〕 In the foreword to the book ''The Auschwitz Volunteer: Beyond Bravery''〔(The Auschwitz volunteer: about the book ), Aquila Polonica Publishing, Los Angeles.〕 Michael Schudrich, the Chief Rabbi of Poland, wrote as follows: "When God created the human being, God had in mind that we should all be like Captain Witold Pilecki, of blessed memory."〔The Book Heaven, (The man who volunteered for Auschwitz: the greatest story never told ), Stanford University. Posted on 10 June 2012.〕 In the introduction to that book Norman Davies, a British historian, wrote: "If there was an Allied hero who deserved to be remembered and celebrated, this was a person with few peers."〔 At the commemoration event of International Holocaust Remembrance Day held in the US Holocaust Memorial Museum on 27 January 2013 Ryszard Schnepf, the Polish Ambassador to the US, described Pilecki as a "diamond among Poland's heroes" and "the highest example of Polish patriotism".〔〔(Captain Witold Pilecki commemorated at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC ), Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, DC.〕 ==Early life== Pilecki was born in Olonets, Karelia, where his family had been forcibly resettled by Imperial Russian authorities after the suppression of Poland's January Uprising of 1863–64.〔Świerczek, Lidia. (Pilecki's life ). Institute of National Remembrance. Last accessed on 14 March 2009.〕 His grandfather, Józef Pilecki, had spent seven years in exile in Siberia for his part in the rising. In 1910, Pilecki moved with his family to Wilno (Vilnius, Lithuania), where he completed Commercial School and joined the secret ZHP Scouts organization.〔 In 1916, he moved to Orel, Russia, where he founded a local ZHP group.〔 During World War I, in 1918, Pilecki joined a ZHP Scout section of the Polish self-defense units under General Władysław Wejtko in the Wilno area.〔 When his sector of the front was overrun by the Bolsheviks, his unit for a time conducted partisan warfare behind enemy lines. Pilecki then joined the regular Polish Army and took part in the Polish-Soviet War of 1919–1920, serving under Capt. Jerzy Dąbrowski.〔 He fought in the Polish retreat from Kiev as part of a cavalry unit defending Grodno (in present-day Belarus). On 5 August 1920, he joined the 211th Uhlan Regiment and fought in the crucial Battle of Warsaw and at Rudniki Forest (''Puszcza Rudnicka'') and took part in the liberation of Wilno.〔 He was twice awarded the Krzyż Walecznych (Cross of Valor) for gallantry.〔 . Last accessed on 21 November 2007.〕 After the Polish-Soviet War ended in 1921 with the Peace of Riga, Pilecki passed his high-school graduation exams (''matura'') in Wilno and passed the exams for a non-commissioned officer position in the Polish Army.〔 He also studied at the Stefan Batory University in Wilno and rebuilt his family estate, ruined during the war.〔 He then took officer training courses.〔 He was assigned to a cavalry regiment in 1926 as ensign, or the second lieutenant of the reserves. While in the reserves, he actively supported local paramilitary training activities.〔 In the interbellum, he worked on his family's farm in the village of Sukurcze and was known as a social work activist and an amateur painter.〔 On 7 April 1931, he married Maria Pilecka (19066 February 2002), née Ostrowska. They had two children, born in Wilno: Andrzej (16 January 1932) and Zofia (14 March 1933). In 1938, he received the Silver Cross of Merit for his involvement in the community and social work.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Witold Pilecki」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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